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The Best Leather Jackets Money Can Buy

From faraway Japanese grails to US-born bespoke brands.

By Liza Corsillo and Evan Malachosky
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Like a lot of the clothing guys wear today, the leather jacket got its start as a utilitarian object. There was no need for a bomber jacket, a motorcycle jacket or a racing jacket before the inventions of the airplane, the motorcycle or the automobile. But leather jackets didn’t make their widespread style debut until after World War II, when the idea of leather for style, instead of purely for function, started seeping into popular culture.

To help shorten your list of candidates, we compiled our favorite makers across the four major categories, motorcycle, bomber, racing, and shearling jackets. We also spoke with experts about style, fit, quality, and care to better inform your big spend.

Origins of the Leather Jacket

After skyrocketing in popularity by way of Marlon Brando in the film The Wild One, the motorcycle jacket became such a symbol of youth in revolt that it was banned in schools for an entire year in the mid-1950s. This helped place them on the backs of guys who wanted to telegraph "rebel cool," gaining popularity throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

“[For] everybody from Elvis to The Beatles, to The Stones, every psychedelic band from the Jefferson Airplane to the Grateful Dead, it was like a rite of passage,” said Michael Paradise, a former employee of North Beach Leathers who now owns The Stronghold, a heritage clothing boutique in Los Angeles. “You signed a recording contract, you got your first paycheck, you went to North Beach Leather.”

How to Wear a Leather Jacket

They’re now an indispensable part of a man’s wardrobe — and guys who work in more casual settings can get away with swapping a minimal black, brown or navy leather jacket for a blazer. It’s more durable, water-repellent, and looks just as good over jeans as it does with a pair of tailored trousers. With so many options on the market, finding the perfect one for you can take a lot of time and research — but it’s well worth slowing down to do so.

How to Clean a Leather Jacket

Unlike other clothing, buying a leather jacket is like buying a piece of furniture. Pick the right version and you’ll have it forever. Go with the wrong thing, or neglect the one you already own, and you'll end up making an expensive mistake.

“If you get a stain on it or a mark, you want to treat it right away before it penetrates into the pores of the skin and becomes permanent like a tattoo,” David Mesquita, co-owner and vice president of Leather Spa, says. “The best time for any type of care is when you get home just before putting it away in your closet. Look it over, and if you see a little spot or a blemish just rub it right off before it becomes permanent. Or use a little bit of a spot cleaner and then just rub it right off.”

HOW TO CARE FOR LEATHER

The Best Leather Jackets Brands for Men

There are lots of leather jackets out there. However, it's best to buy yours from a trusted brand with a long-standing history of making fine leather goods. These are the ones you can trust — and a few to keep your eye on, even if they don't have the same sort of established legacy.

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Schott NYC
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Schott's an American classic. Founded in 1913 by Irving Schott, the brand's credited with being both the first to put a zipper on a jacket and the first to debut the style we now know as a motorcycle jacket. They sold the first one in 1928 at a Harley Davidson store in NYC.

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Schott NYC '50s Oil Tanned Cowhide Leather Moto Jacket
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$1,015 AT NORDSTROM

Nearly a century after its inception, the OG motorcycle jacket is still in production. With a belted waist, epaulets, snap collar, map pocket, flap pocket at the waist and, of course, tough oil-tanned cowhide, it’s the moto jacket defined. You can be sure that this will last you another century when it’s still an icon.

The Real McCoy's
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Japanese label The Real McCoy's was founded in the early 2000's by vintage seller Hitoshi Tsujimoto. He'd been inspired by American staples like denim, T-shirts, leather jackets, and the ilk and sought out his own way of paying homage, by making replicas. They've become some of the most sought after garments — arguably even more so than the vintage pieces the designs reference.

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The Real McCoy's '30s Leather Sports Jacket
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$2,589 AT END CLOTHING

While authenticity can be had with Schott, you can’t much closer than this legendary jacket from Japanese repro-obsessives The Real McCoy’s. That’s because this dates back to the '30s. But, The Real McCoy’s has gone to extreme lengths to reproduce this classic jacket. Of course, this Japanese-made replica won’t come cheap.

Vanson
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Three cheers for Vanson! The brand, founded in 1974, originally set its sights on selling moto jackets with improved performance and protective elements. Clearly the ideas were a success. They remain a trusty option for steelheads and stylists alike.

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Vanson Leathers Dominator-2 Leather Jacket
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$552 AT VANSON LEATHERS

Cut from competition weight Steerhide, Vanson's Dominator-2 Jacket is designed to stand up to crashes and falls, but also concerts and raucous crowds. It's a 60s-style English Rockers leather motorcycle jacket, they say, with reinforced side panels and chrome hardware.

Freenote Cloth
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Freenoth Cloth, although new, specializes in timeless American titans like leather jackets and jeans. Every single one they sell is hand-cut and -sewn in California.

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Freenote Cloth Locklin Black
$1,400 AT FREENOTECLOTH.COM

Very few of these Locklin Jackets exist. On this jacket you'll find a body made from Italian Steerhide, sleeves lined with satin, an interior adorned with a Southwestern pattern and Universal Zippers from Japan across the front.

Simmons Bilt
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Simmons Bilt was a brand that launched in Oakland, California just after 1900 but closed by 1930. It's back, though, by way of a dedicated few designers committed to revitalizing it. They follow templates true to the era and emphasize craftsmanship to the same degree.

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Simmons Bilt Heartbreaker Leather Jacket
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$1,400 AT STANDARD & STRANGE

This collaborative jacket from Standard & Strange and Simmons Bilt references "jackets worn by The Heartbreakers, a fictional gang in the 50's from an unreleased screenplay written by Gen," one of Standard & Strange's sales associates.

Y'2 Leather
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Y'2 Leather has been around since 1998. On top of its now 23 years in the industry, its founders boast more than 45 more prior to its inception. They know everything and everyone. As such, they can oversee (and ask for) the employment of unique leathers, processes, and finishes, making for more interesting final products.

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Best Natural Tan Leather Jacket
Y'2 Leather Kakishibu Persimmon Tanned Horsehide Type Jacket
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$1,950 AT STANDARD & STRANGE

This nylon lined Type Jacket was dyed with... persimmons. It's a part of a traditional technique called Kakishibu — hence the name. To note: this dye is ultra photosensitive, meaning it'll darken and age faster than most jackets, even with just usual exposure to the sun.

Himel Bros.
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An homage to the founder's father and his two brothers, David Himel's Himel Bros. is a Toronto-based leather brand that uses imported, proprietary materials — mostly from Japan.

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Best Canada-Made Leather Jacket
Himel Bros. The Heron A-1 Jacket
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$2,650 AT HIMEL BROS.

Derived from military jackets of the same name, Himel Bros.' A-1 design spotlights "a deeply primitive early-1930s style, which demonstrates both the simplistic beauty of naïve tailoring." It's cut from Japanese leather and is made-to-measure.

Dunhill
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Dunhill's roots are in everything automotive. The luxury brand made pipes for smoking while driving, lighters, and, of course, jackets. These came later, long after the business was established in 1893, but by the 1970s the brand boasted a collection comprising over 2,000 products.

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Best Shearling Leather Jacket
Dunhill Shearling Jacket
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$4,795 AT DUNHILL

This Shearling Jacket isn't cheap. You know what, none of these options are. But, that's because it's leather. And, in the case of this here coat, lamb's leather and shearling.

Fine Creek Leathers
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Think of Fine Creek founder Yoshikatsu Yamazaki as the mad scientist of leather. He sources the finest materials and finishes them with his own original tans.

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Best Japanese Leather Jacket
Fine Creek Leathers Lynchburg Leather Jacket
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$2,550 AT CLUTCH CAFE

Each one of Fine Creek Leathers' Lynchburg jackets are stitched by hand in a Tokyo studio. They reference a 1940's Lee denim jacket, which ran short, kind of quasi-cropped. Finished with "tea core" tan, the jacket will reveal rich brown tones beneath the black as it breaks in.

Eastman Leather Clothing
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Eastman Leather Clothing specializes in reproductions of WW2-era garments. "The nostalgia behind these styles is what makes them attractive. They were born out of a time of necessity, and designed for a specific purpose - to function and protect under adverse and challenging conditions. Since then they have become timeless design classics, appealing to the rugged utilitarian image," the brand's about page states. Couldn't have said it better myself.

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Eastman Leather Flying Type A-2 Eastman
£1,150 AT EASTMANLEATHER.COM

Remember the Type A-1 Jacket from above? Well, this is the Type A-2. It stepped in for the A-1 in 1931 but ceased being standard issue by 1944. Since then it's served as reference for other styles and, clearly, a source of inspiration for reproductions.

The Cast
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The Cast, located on Orchard St in Manhattan's Lower East Side, has been around since 2004. They're punk, family-owned, and super, effing premium. Come here for a bespoke leather jacket that not only looks the part but was made by people who built the scene.

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The Cast Custom Bowery Jacket
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$995 AT THE CAST

This is The Cast's most popular style, ripe for customization of all kinds. Change the coin pocket color, the belt hue, the hardware or even the liner, all on an online portal. It's fun to experiment with even if you can't afford one...yet.

More Great Jackets (but With Less Brand History)
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These brands haven't been making leather jackets for the better part of a century, but that's okay. They're still good.

Taylor Stitch The Hangar Jacket
$998 AT TAYLORSTITCH.COM

Taylor Stitch doesn't dedicate itself to leather, but when the brand uses the material they do so well. The Hangar Jacket is an ode to earlier flight jackets without being too much of a copycat. It's made from cowhide and has a viscose liner — plus a few functional pockets.

Buck Mason Bruiser PCH Jacket
$598 AT BUCK MASON

California-based brand Buck Mason makes a few classic leather jackets — a trucker (seen here), a bomber and a moto jacket. This one, the Bruiser PCH Jacket, is hand-cut from semi-vegetable tanned sheepskin, making it soft from the first wear. It's a vintage-fit, though, which means it's shorter than your usual moto jacket.

Todd Snyder Italian Burnished Leather Dylan Jacket
$1,398 AT TODD SNYDER

Todd Snyder isn't known for edgy leather jackets — more like comfortable sweats, seersucker shirts, suede coats, and chinos. But when the venerable American designer entrusts himself with hide, the results are rich with texture and a dream to put on, especially when it's a silhouette as famous as the Dylan Jacket, a staple for the Snyder brand that's long been made in suede.

Wilsons Leather Finn Leather Rider Jacket
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$345 AT WILSONSLEATHER.COM

Wilsons claims to be a brand born in 1899, but really they only launched in the 1950's. They merged with another label, Bermans, and their ascent began. Although inarguably not as popular as it used to be, Wilsons's garments are still of high-quality. They're even kind of a bargain compared to the other picks before it.

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